How can I make raised garden bed better for vegetables?

[Maggymay]

I am a new gardener, I have an tin garden that is high. I would like to know what soil to put in it, I am in WA where the soil is very sandy.

I want to grow more than lettuce and tomatoes,Ideally I would like to grow potatoes,carrots capsicums.

I do have some capsicums that are growing nicely, But should I stake them as we do with tomatoes.

What size stakes should I buy, and as we are in WA and it is very hot in the summer, what sort of shade cloth should i get.

I do not at this time have any photo's

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Maggymay. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about filling a raised garden bed.

Here's a helpful step-by-step guide: How to fill a raised garden bed. You might also like to have a read through this Best Advice article on How do you fill a raised garden bed? 

Typically, you'd use a quality potting mix to fill the bed to prevent it from drying out and compacting. 

Capsicums should be staked as you would a tomato plant; otherwise, they'll have a tendency to fall over under the weight of the fruit. There are many suitable stakes to select from, including these PVC-coated ones, but I'm a fan of the traditional hardwood versions. 50% shadecloth would likely do the job whilst still allowing enough sunlight through to the plant.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell